Which battery isolator do i need

One battery should always be dedicated to holding a charge for starting up your vehicle, while the other battery can have multiple uses ranging from car audio equipment or powering portable devices through a power inverter, such as a laptop, printer or other powered equipment.

It is important to size your battery isolator correctly so that it properly interacts with your motor vehicle's alternator system. Size your battery isolator appropriately in order to guarantee that it is right for your vehicle. Open the hood on your vehicle to inspect the alternator that you currently have installed on your engine. Look for a small plate with printing on your alternator indicating the maximum amperage measured in Amperes for your car system.

The battery isolator that you select should have an amperage rating "equal to or greater than the peak current output" of your alternator. Consult the battery isolator sizing and vehicle application charts at Don Rowe. Charts show manufacturers and manufacturing years for which specific models of battery isolators can be applied.

After researching I found it's a possibility of isolate and if so my question is does the click automatically mean to replace or is there a way to reset? Please help. Hey Nate, Awsome articles on installation. Quick question on a full electrical set up. Can the charge controller handle the amps coming from the alternator in a backflow direction? By the looks of your wire diagrams it can.

Hopefully, I can explain it better below. More explanation. You have solar panels to the charge controller to the second battery. From the alternator to the starter battery to the isolator to the second battery. The alternator will produce about amps to the second battery but the charge controller is rated at 20 amps. I know in theory all power should run to the battery and not back towards the solar panels but electricity always follows the path of least resistance.

Can the charge controller prevent the backflow of amps coming from the alternator? Thanks, Steven. There is no issue with multiple charging points in your system backfeeding through the solar controller. Alternator, generator, shore power, secondary MPPT, etc.

How does it compare with the Precision Battery Isolator? I have 4 Renogy Lithium batteries in my Sprinter, and I am trying to decide of the two unless another was recommended what the best option is to charge from the alternator.

Vehicles have a starting battery that provides enough power to start an engine, headlights and critical systems. This infographic from Cooper Bussmann Sure Power illustrates this process. When looking at battery isolators, your first question should be concerning load. Like any automotive electrical product, battery isolators are rated to carry certain loads and no higher, so it's worth determining how much power you'll be distributing before you pick an isolator.

Secondly, you should see how many batteries each isolator will need to support. While it may be possible to wire isolators in series in some situations, it makes far more sense to pick one isolator per circuit and wire everything to it. The fewer links in a chain, the stronger it is, after all. Finally, be sure to choose an isolator you can properly install, as the fins around the casing are often a crucial piece for proper function.

Waytek is proud to offer top-of-the-line battery isolators from Cooper Bussmann Sure Power and Cole Hersee By Littelfuse , 2 of the most respected names in b attery management.

Here are a couple of Waytek's top sellers in this category:. Subscribe to Email Updates. Subscribe to the Waytek Blog.

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